A man who starved a pony and poultry on a filthy allotment has been banned from keeping animals for life.

David Slater, 49, of Wycherley Road, Rochdale, was handed the ban at Bury Magistrates Court on June 3 after pleading guilty to five counts under the Animal Welfare Act.

The RSPCA mounted an investigation against Slater in September last year after they became concerned about a grey Welsh section A pony and a number of poultry on an allotment off Bridgefold Road in Rochdale.

“The vet said if they’d been there another five days they’d have died. When you felt them they were literally skeletons with feathers. They had severe lice infestations and scaly leg.

“The pony was up to his fetlocks in mud, in fact the whole allotment was swimming in a horrible mixture of mud and faeces.”

Inspector Byrnes added that the shelters for the animals were ‘woefully inadequate’.

She said: “All the animals had shelters but they were woefully inadequate filthy, dark and dingy with no dry resting areas.

“Four cockerels were in what can only be described as a cupboard inside a shed. I couldn’t believe it when I found them living inside. It was pitch black and there were no roosting or nesting areas.

“All of the animals had access to water but it was either stale and absolutely filthy or rain water.”

As well as the lifetime disqualification, Slater was also sentenced to a 12 month community order, including 200 hours of unpaid work to be undertaken at an animal charity shop. He was ordered to pay £560 in costs.

The poultry were signed over to the RSPCA for rehoming a couple of weeks after they were seized, and the pony at the last hearing in May.

The pony remains in the care of Horses and Ponies Protection Association (HAPPA) who have been looking after him since he was rescued.

RSPCA Inspector Byrnes added: “Though we brought the prosecution it would never have happened without HAPPA.

“The RSPCA was contacted HAPPA on 1 September last year after they became concerned about a grey Welsh section A pony.